Various axle suspension mechanisms are known for suspending a vehicle axle from frame rails of a vehicle, such as a truck.
In one known form, the axle of a truck is clamped to an elongated support. The support is pivoted to a frame rail at a location forwardly of the axle and coupled by a double pivot mechanism to the frame rail at a location rearwardly of the axle. An air spring extends between the frame rail and elongated support, at a location rearwardly of the axle. A structure of this type is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,077 to Stuart. Other suspension mechanisms are also known. Although these suspensions exist, a need nevertheless arises for an improved suspension such as for the front axle of a vehicle to which steerable wheels are mounted.
The axle may be a solid axle with wheels rotatably coupled to the respective end portions of the axle for rotating as the vehicle moves. Solid axles have a central portion extending between frame rails of a vehicle and end portions which typically project outwardly beyond the frame rails. A respective wheel support is pivoted to each end of the axle for pivotal movement about an upright axis to steer the wheels mounted to the respective wheel supports. The wheels are rotatably mounted to the wheel supports for rotation as the vehicle is driven. In a simplified form, solid axles are of a one-piece monolithic unitary construction. By monolithic, it is meant that they are not made of a plurality of parts which are assembled into the construction. Although mechanisms are known for steering the wheels mounted to a solid axle, a need exists for improved steering mechanisms for this purpose.
The present invention relates to new and unobvious improvements in vehicle axle mechanisms as set forth in the claims below. The present invention is not limited to vehicle axle constructions which combine all of the features disclosed herein, but instead are directed toward novel and unobvious aspects of the invention both alone and in various combinations and subcombinations with one another.